Micam Milano is gearing up for a big return this month for its 96th edition.
Slated to run Sept. 17-20, attendees to the international footwear trade fair can expect to find over 1,700 footwear labels from around the world showcasing their spring/summer 2024 collections.
According to Micam Milano president Giovanna Ceolini, this season’s show will be filled with a full calendar of seminars and workshops, innovative and technological proposals, and a panel of authoritative international guests.
“Micam Milan is the point of reference for operators from all over the world,” Ceolini told FN. “Visitors to Micam enjoy an immersive experience here, discovering the latest market trends in styles, research in materials, sustainability, and the future of retail.”
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September’s show comes as the Italian footwear industry reported another quarter of increased sales in July despite a slowdown in export volume and production.
According to the latest data from Confindustria Moda Research Centre for Assocalzaturifici, the country’s shoe sector saw a 13.6 percent increase in sales compared to the same period last year, as well as a 16.1 percent increase in total value of footwear exports to 3.51 billion euro in the first quarter of 2023.
Ceolini added that in the report that Italian footwear exports amounted to 57.8 million pairs in the first quarter alone.
Here, FN explores three things to know about this month’s trade show.
Meet The Next Gen
Once again, Micam will spotlight 12 creators as part of its designated Emerging Designers area. Chosen by a panel of judges, these designers hail from all over the world including Argentina, Switzerland and Japan and create everything from classic shoes and sneakers to boots and sandals.
The 12 emerging designers this season are Belledonne Paris hailing from France; Bonamaso’ from Spain; Caplait from Pakistan; Daniela Uribe from the USA; Judy Mazzotti from Italy; Minacapilli from Switzerland; Mosca Shoes from Argentina; Pierini Calzature from Italy; Room from Brazil; Soque from France; Tachino Chie from Japan; and Ubac from France.
Get Up to Speed on Sustainability
After launching an area inside the exhibition dedicated to VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) certified steps last season, the trade fair is continuing to highlight sustainability in a large way. This area serves as the hub of Micam’s sustainably-focused brands and “attracted a lot of attention” at the last edition of the trade fair, according to Ceolini. The executive, which called sustainability one of the “biggest challenges” the footwear industry faces, added that there must be “great transparency” when it comes to the choice of materials, and above all control of the sources of supply and the production chain.
“Consumers have evolved, and now consider respect for the environment and eco-friendliness in production processes essential values in footwear purchases,” Ceolini said. “Sustainability is a pillar on which to build a sound business strategy. Together with innovation, it is the key to generating value for your company and establishing your products with the public. It is no longer a plus, but something indispensable.”
Plug-MI Festival Makes Its Return
The Gen-Z and urban culture festival conceived by Fandango Club Creators in collaboration with Micam, will be returning to Milan’s Superstudio Più this month after its successful launch last year. Held in a 43,000 square-foot space in the city’s Tortona area, the event showcases “the most creative, fun and interesting” developments in the worlds of music, sport, art and fashion with workshops, talks, concerts and live performances.
At Plug-MI, space is given to national and international streetwear and sneaker brands, allowing them to highlight special collections, new releases, exclusive limited editions and rare models. Confirmed brands include Rinascente, Culture, D’Artisti, Dotzero, Excelsior Lab, Infatuation, Make Fashion Great Again and On My Way. The festival will also include the Micam Capsule Corner dedicated to the sneakers designed by international students in their final year of the footwear course offered by the ARS Sutoria Academy.
“Plug-MI is a very important event, which perfectly combines B2B and B2C in the world of urban culture,” Ceolini said. “We firmly believe in this festival as it allows us to set up an ongoing dialogue with young people and to get closer to their world. Moreover, it offers an excellent opportunity to footwear companies that produce sports line and have an e-commerce channel. Through the presence of the most prestigious brands in this sector, we will be able to take stock of the sports footwear and sneaker segment.”
